Swashbuckler

Graph View

Visualize connections between entries with interactive force-directed, hierarchical, radial, and clustered layouts.

Overview

The graph view shows your entries as nodes and their connections (from mentions, links, and relations) as edges in an interactive visualization. It's accessible from the Graph link in the sidebar.

Use the graph to explore your knowledge structure, discover patterns, and navigate between related entries.

Layout Modes

Switch between four layout modes using the toggle in the top-left corner of the graph. Transitions between layouts are animated.

Force-Directed (Default)

Nodes are positioned by a physics simulation — connected nodes attract each other, and disconnected nodes repel. The graph settles into an organic layout where clusters of related entries naturally group together.

Drag any node to reposition it. The simulation reheats briefly to accommodate the change, then settles again.

Hierarchical

Entries are arranged in a top-down tree layout using a breadth-first spanning tree. This works well for content with clear parent-child relationships, like a project broken down into tasks.

Radial

The same tree structure as hierarchical, but projected onto concentric circles. The most connected entry sits at the center, with related entries radiating outward. Good for seeing how far content is from a central topic.

Clustered

Entries are grouped by type on an outer circle, with each type's entries arranged on smaller inner circles. This layout emphasizes type-based organization and makes it easy to see how entries of different types connect.

Interactions

ActionEffect
Click a nodeSelect it — dims other nodes and shows the detail panel
Double-click a nodeNavigate to that entry in the editor
Drag a nodeReposition it (force-directed mode reheats the simulation)
Scroll / pinchZoom in and out
Click and drag the backgroundPan the view
EscapeDeselect the current node

Detail Panel

When you select a node, a detail panel appears showing:

  • Entry title and icon
  • Type name and color
  • Connected entries (click to navigate)

On mobile, the detail panel appears as a full-width card at the bottom of the screen.

Type Filtering

The filter panel in the top-right corner shows all types in your space with color swatches. Click a type to include or exclude it from the graph. This is an inclusion-based filter — only checked types are shown.

Filtering updates the graph immediately. Edges connected to hidden nodes are also hidden.

Keyboard Navigation

The graph is fully keyboard-navigable:

KeyAction
Arrow keysMove focus to the nearest node in that direction (spatial cone-based)
EnterOpen the selected entry in the editor
EscapeDeselect the current node

Focus changes and selections are announced to screen readers via aria-live regions.

Tips

  • The graph only shows entries with at least one connection. Isolated entries (no mentions, links, or relations) don't appear.
  • Use @ mentions in your entries to build connections organically as you write.
  • Try the clustered layout to get a high-level view of how your types relate to each other.
  • Double-click is the fastest way to navigate between related entries.

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